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Chapter II.  Operations and Administration  

Part 1.  The Council  

201.01.  Meetings.  Subdivision 1.  Regular meetings.  Regular meeting of the council shall be held on the second Wednesday of each month at 7:00 p.m.  Any regular meeting falling upon a holiday shall be held on the next Wednesday at the same time and place.  All meetings, including special and adjourned meetings, shall be held in the city hall unless the council decides otherwise at a prior meeting, or meeting in the city hall is impossible.  

  A quorum shall consist of three of the five members of the council.  

  Subd. 2.  Special meetings.  The mayor or any two members of the council may call a special meeting of the council upon at least 24 hours written notice to each member of the council.  This notice shall be delivered personally to each member or shall be left at the member's usual place of residence with some responsible person.  Notice to the public shall be given in accordance with state law.

 

  Subd. 3.  Initial meeting.  At the first regular council meeting in January of each year the council shall:  

            a.  Designate the depositories of city funds;  

            b.  Designate the official newspaper;  

            c.  Choose one of the councilmembers as acting mayor, who shall perform the duties of the mayor during the disability or absence of the mayor from the city or, in case of a vacancy in the office of mayor, until a successor has been appointed and qualifies;  

            d.   Appoint such officers and employees and such members of boards, commissions, and committees as may be necessary;  

            e.  Establish and appoint council members to such council committees as are deemed appropriate for the efficient and orderly management of the city.  

  Subd. 4.  Public meetings.  All council meetings, including special and adjourned meetings and meetings of council committees, shall be conducted in accordance with the Minnesota Open Meeting Law.  

201.02.  Presiding officer.  Subdivision 1.  Who presides.  The mayor shall preside at all meetings of the council.  In the absence of the mayor, the acting mayor shall preside.  In the absence of both, the clerk shall call the meeting to order and shall preside until the council members present at the meeting choose one of their number to act temporarily as presiding officer.  

  Subd. 2.  Procedure.  The presiding officer shall preserve order, enforce the rules of procedure herein prescribed, and determine without debate, subject to the final decision of the council on appeal, all questions of procedure and order.  Except as otherwise provided by statute or by these rules, the proceedings of the council shall be conducted in accordance with Robert's Rules of Order, Revised.  

  Subd. 3.  Appeal procedure.  Any member may appeal to the council a ruling of the presiding officer.  If  the appeal is seconded, the member may speak once solely on the question involved and the presiding officer may explain the ruling, but no other council member shall participate in the discussion.  The appeal shall be sustained if it is approved by a majority of the members present including the presiding officer.  

201.03.  Minutes.  Subdivision 1.  Who keeps.    Minutes of each council meeting shall be kept by the clerk or, in the clerk's absence, by the deputy clerk.  In the absence of both, the presiding officer shall appoint a secretary pro tem.  Ordinances, resolutions, and claims need not be recorded in full in the minutes if they appear in other permanent records of the clerk and can be accurately identified from the description given in the minutes.  

  Subd. 2.  Approval.  The minutes of each meeting shall be reduced to typewritten form, shall be signed by the clerk, and copies thereof shall be delivered to each council member as soon as practicable after the meeting.  At the next regular council meeting following such delivery, approval of the minutes shall be considered by the council.  The minutes need not be read aloud, but the presiding officer shall call for any additions or corrections.  If there is no objection to a proposed addition or correction, it may be made without a vote of the council.  If there is an objection, the council shall vote upon the addition or correction.  If there are no additions or corrections, the minutes shall stand approved.  

201.04.  Order of business.  Subdivision 1.  Order established.  Each meeting of the council shall convene at the time and place appointed therefor.  Council business shall be conducted in the following order unless varied by the presiding officer:  

            a.  Call to order

              b.  Roll call                        

            c.  Approval of minutes  

            d.  Consent agenda  

            e.  Public hearings  

            f.  Petitions, requests, and communications            

            g.  Ordinances and resolutions  

            h.  Report of officers, boards, and committees  

            i.  Unfinished business  

            j.  New business  

            k.  Miscellaneous  

            l.  Adjournment  

           

  Subd. 2.  Petitions and agenda.  Petitions and other papers addressed to the council shall be read by the clerk upon presentation of the same to the council.  All persons desiring to present new business before the council shall inform the clerk thereof at least 72 hours before said new business is to be heard.  The clerk may prepare an agenda of said new business for submission to the council on or before the time of the next regular meeting.  

201.05.  Voting.  The votes of the members on any question may be taken in any manner which signifies the intention of the individual members, and the votes of the members on any action taken shall be recorded in the minutes.  The vote of each member shall be recorded on each appropriation of money, except for payment of judgments, claims, and amounts fixed by statute.  If any member is present but does not vote, the minutes, as to his name, shall be marked "Present-Not Voting."  

  201.06.  Ordinances, resolutions, motions, petitions, and communications.  Subdivision 1.  Signing and publication proof.  Every ordinance and resolution passed by the council shall be signed by the mayor, attested by the clerk, and filed by the clerk in the ordinance or resolution book.  Proof of publication of every ordinance shall be attached and filed with the ordinance.

    Subd. 2.  Repeals and amendments.  Every ordinance or resolution repealing a previous ordinance or resolution or a section or subdivision thereof shall give the number, if any, and the title of the ordinance or code number of the ordinance or resolution to be repealed in whole or in part.  Each ordinance or resolution amending an existing ordinance or resolution or part thereof shall set forth in full each amended section or subdivision as it will read with the amendment.  

201.07.  Suspension or amendment of rules.  These rules may be suspended only by a two-thirds vote of the members present and voting.  

201.08.  Salaries of mayor and councilmember.  Effective 1-1-93, the salary of the mayor shall be $25.00 for each council meeting attended and the salary of each council member shall be $20.00 for each council meeting attended.  

201.09.  Additional special meeting compensation.  Effective 1-1-93, the mayor and each councilmember shall receive in addition to their regular compensation, $25 and $20, respectively, for each special meeting of the council which they attend.          

  Part 2.  Police Department   At the present time, the City of Askov does not employ a police force.  All law enforcement rests with the Pine County Sheriff and his/her deputies and the Minnesota Highway Patrol.  However, from time to time the City of Askov needs to employ special police.  Divisions for future department ordinances are established below. Ordinance for special police is included.  

202.01. Establishment.  

202.02. Chief of police.  

202.03. Duties of police.  

202.04. Uniform and badge.  

202.05. Special or extra police.  For special community events, the mayor may appoint for a specified time as many special police officers (or constables) as may be necessary for the maintenance of law and order.  During such term of appointment, the special police officer shall have only those powers and perform only those duties as shall be specifically assigned by the mayor and council.  

202.06. Police reserve.  Subdivision 1. Establishment.  

  Subd. 2. Duties.  

  Subd. 3. Oath, insignia.  

  Subd. 4. Personnel rules.  

  Subd. 5. Other restrictions.